The Scoop on Gluten and Celiac Disease

Celiac Disease affects 1 out of 133 in the United States and is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the world. It is a genetic condition which makes people allergic and intolerant to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. When a person with Celiac Disease is exposed to gluten, their immune system responds by damaging and destroying the villi of the small intestines. Villi line the digestive tract and are small finger like protrusions that allow nutrients to be absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. Once these villi are damaged, as in a person with celiac disease, the body is no longer able to absorb nutrients and a person becomes malnourished, no matter how much food they eat.

Some common symptoms of Celiac Disease include:

abdominal bloating and pain

chronic diarrhea

vomiting

constipation

pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool

weight loss

decreased thyroid function

memory loss & confusion

Other symptoms of Celiac Disease result from chronic malnutrition:

unexplained iron-deficiency anemia

fatigue

bone or joint pain

arthritis

bone loss or osteoporosis

depression or anxiety

tingling numbness in the hands and feet

seizures

missed menstrual periods

infertility or recurrent miscarriage

canker sores inside the mouth

an itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis

How do you know if you have Celiac Disease? The only way to be certain is to take a blood test. Your doctor will be looking for an elevation in the autoantibodies tTGA, AGA or EMA, proteins that react against the body’s own tissue and are specific for Celiac Disease. Your doctor might also recommend a biopsy of the small intestine lining to confirm the diagnosis.

The treatment for Celiac Disease is a gluten-free diet. This can be difficult because so many things are laced with gluten; however, once a person with damaged villi cuts out the gluten, they will notice improvements in symptoms within days. In fact, the small intestine will heal within 3-6 months, therefore allowing the body to fully absorb nutrients from food.

If you suspect you may be gluten intolerant or have Celiac Disease, contact Dr. Wendy Norman at Hanna Chiropractic Wellness Center. This is a serious condition and must be managed with proper nutritional counseling and supplementation. We have helped many patients eliminate gluten from their diet as well as to heal the damaged gut lining. Call for your appointment today! (949)-389-0400

One Response to The Scoop on Gluten and Celiac Disease

Hi there,Just here to let anyone know about gulten free food in Florida. I went there last year and it was the first time ive been there with celiac disease. All the people we knew told me that america was great with gulten free food so all i brought in my suitcase was pitta as that i liked more than bread. When we went food shopping there was no bread, not many cereals and mostly only cookies which were nice. Bring as much bread as pos. The shop we went to was called Walmat so i dont know what the other shops are like. Even though the shops werent go the restaurants where very good and the waiter etc were very good. We went to TGI’s which was lovely and the steak house which i even got to ate THE most AMAZING chocolate brownie . I hope any of that helps.Shannon